New research suggests a blood test offered in the GP surgery could diagnose a
host of cancers, earlier than current methods

A simple blood test could mean all cancers could be diagnosed by GPs in a matter of days, research suggests.

Experts said the test could be a "real game changer" in diagnosis of disease, helping to ensure quicker diagnosis without invasive procedures.

Doctors from the Royal Brompton Hospital and the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College London hope said they hope it might one day be available in GP surgeries to provide a diagnosis within days and the chance of earlier treatment.

The new form of treatment, called T-VEC, attacks cancer cells and directs the body's immune system against the tumour Photo: Wellcome Collection

Researchers were not told whether patients, who were all pre-surgery for known or suspected lung cancer, had already received a definitive diagnosis.

Using the blood test, they were able to correctly identify cancer-specific gene mutations in the DNA of nearly seven out of ten patients who were later confirmed to have cancer.

DNA was extracted from the plasma (the fluid part of the blood) and analysed to identify three common gene mutations.

Cancerous tissue was also analysed for these genetic abnormalities to see how closely it could be linked to the blood sample. These cancer-specific gene mutations are not usually found in the blood of healthy individuals.

Consultant thoracic surgeon Eric Lim, who led the study, said the test could be "a real game changer" in the diagnosis and treatment for all types of cancer.

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Presenting the findings at the annual World Conference on Lung Cancer in Colorado, US, Mr Lim said: "The test is not an alternative to a biopsy for all patients, but when a blood test shows a positive result, this could mean a patient is saved from going through an unnecessary and invasive diagnostic procedure.

"It might also result in patients having earlier imaging scans and beginning treatment sooner."

Biopsies, or tissue samples, are often taken with a needle during a CT scan. It can lead to complications for a small number of patients.

The new blood test, which researchers estimate would cost the NHS a few hundred pounds, could be a less invasive but still accurate method for a large number of patients with suspected cancer.

Patients with primary or secondary lung cancer were the focus of the study which found they shared gene patterns which are common to patients with other forms of cancer, such as colorectal cancer. This indicates the blood test could be useful in suggesting the presence of other cancers, it was suggested.

Mr Lim, of the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, said conventional diagnostic methods would still be needed to confirm a diagnosis.

A negative result from the blood test would not completely rule out the presence of cancer cells, he added.

Doctors say the demand simply does not exist for later opening as commuters want morning slots Photo: ALAMY

More research and on a wider scale is needed to back up the initial findings before any attempt could be made to use it in a clinical setting, he said.

Mr Lim said: "We hope that further research will also make the blood test even more effective as a diagnostic tool."

Previous research has suggested specific tests for some types of cancer could be more accurate than conventional diagnosis techniques.